This is how it feels (Celtic 27 January 2018)

[Jonnyboy]

It seemed pretty much a full house at Celtic Park today with the Hibs fans cramped into a corner where many of the seats are affected by a restricted view of the playing surface. Charging £30 for the privilege, Celtic should be ashamed of themselves. Thankfully, standing throughout the game helped lessen the inconvenience but I confess I felt for our wheelchair using disabled supporters as their view must have been horrendous.

With the Anthony Stokes saga continuing in the background, Hibs made just the one change from the eleven that started at Dundee; Oli Shaw replacing Simon Murray as the lone striker. Boyle started wide, as you might expect but Barker seemed to have a bit of a free role playing mostly centrally.

In the opening exchanges I felt we started really well and won our first corner after just 58 seconds as the two sides traded blows up to around the fifteen minute mark when our goal had a major piece of luck. A free kick around twenty yards out saw Leigh Griffiths strike a thundering shot over the wall but Rocky was equal to the task in getting a strong hand to the effort. As the ball dropped inside the six yard box the Hibs defence seemed static and it looked a certainty that Sinclair would score with the goal gaping. Somehow or another he managed to hit the post and by that time our defenders were around to clear the ball away.

Griffiths came close again shortly after that but it wasn’t all one-way traffic and Hibs might have taken the lead when Barker was through one-on-one with Craig Gordon and the Celtic keeper made a fine save. Moments later, Boyle had a chance but screwed his effort wide. At that point, Hibs were on top but with Ambrose posted missing, Kieran Tierney fired a cross into the box. The ball reached the far post where Paul Hanlon looked as though he was just trying to help it on but hadn’t realised Griffiths was behind him. The Celtic number 9 reacted quickly to steer a right foot shot back across goal with Rocky wrong footed. Darren McGregor’s last ditch attempt to clear fell just short of being successful. Griffiths didn’t celebrate and held up two hands in apology to the Hibs support which infuriated a fair number of those around me.

A few minutes after scoring, Griffiths went down holding his calf and had to be replaced. As he limped off the park a fair percentage of the travelling Hibs support applauded him which, let’s just say, did not go down to well in some quarters. In most cases the loss of your first choice striker might be considered to weaken your team but Celtic were able to bring on the much lauded Dembele in his place. I was worried when that happened but I needn’t have been as the youngster failed to make any positive impact on the game at all. The one matter of impact he did make was when his theatrical dive in the Hibs 18 yard box earned him a deserved yellow card from referee Bobby Madden.

Right on the half time whistle, a cross into the Celtic box seemed to be flying beyond the reach of Craig Gordon but as the keeper lunged to try and punch the ball he crashed into Darren McGregor and much to my disgust Madden gave Celtic a free kick. No way was it a free kick but it did signal the end of Gordon’s participation as he was replaced by Dorus De Vries for the second half.

An early chance for Scott Sinclair was squandered but from about the hour mark onwards Hibs totally dominated possession of the ball, much to the dismay of the home support who could be heard to become more and more frustrated as the game wore on. Hibs looked solid at the back and controlling in midfield but our age old problem of creating and/or taking chances was in full bloom. Barker tried his best but it was noticeable that every time he got the ball, Scott Brown was all over him like a rash.

De Vries in the Celtic goal wasn’t exactly overworked but he did do well diving low to his left to push a low drive by McGinn around his post for a corner. During the half, Boyle, Barker and Shaw were replaced with varying amounts of time left on the clock. Their replacements were Murray, Swanson and McLaren and though they tried their best the game petered out and I was once again left with the feeling that we may not have deserved to win but we certainly didn’t deserve to lose.

The players

Rocky – one again he looked solid and made a few good saves though he had no chance with the goal.

Efe – a guy close by to me said Efe was his man of the match which I found to be a bewildering statement given that Efe was caught out of position more times than I care to mention. Yes, he’s a very talented boy and he played very well in patches but no more than that in my view.

Daz – The big fella was absolutely outstanding; solid as a rock and my man of the match for his brilliant display.

Paul – had a very good game but was badly at fault for the goal. Should have played safe and just headed the ball out for a corner.

Lewis – the wee man is back to his best, defending well and getting forward as much as he can. Fired in a few good crosses and made one crucial block with his body near the end of the game.

Boyler – started brightly but I’m not sure he’s fully over his Achilles problem as there was no sign of his trade mark lung bursting runs.

Dylan – the lad is simply a great footballer but I do wish he’d be a bit more adventurous when he’s around the edge of the opposition box. Just have a shot for goodness sake!

Slivka – Vicky was possibly lucky not to be sent off as he was not booked for inexplicably catching the ball in both hands when it was still in play. That should’ve been a yellow and he was subsequently booked for a foul on Brown. Had a strong second half I felt.

SJM – Came very close to winning my man of the match award for his tireless work in trying to drive Hibs forward. He covered every blade of grass and any watching scouts would surely have been impressed.

Brandon – Had the chance to make a few telling surges forward but I wish that sometimes he’d just keep going instead of stopping at the 18 yard line. As stated earlier, Scott Brown had clearly been designated to stifle Barker and in general terms he succeeded.

Oli – The poor guy got next to no service from his midfield and even when he did get possession we were so slow in getting in to support him he was crowded out.

Simon – All the early season promise seems so far away right now. I think if he could grab a goal or two it might settle him down again.

Danny – Had a couple of mazy runs and did his best to breach the Celtic defence. I thought it a little odd that as soon as the final whistle went he shot off down the tunnel before shaking hands or applauding the Hibs support.

Jamie – I’ve still not seen enough of the lad to form any kind of opinion but given that our other strikers have dried up, maybe he should be given a chance to show his worth.

Neil – Must be very frustrated to have watched his game plan undone by one unfortunate mistake. Needs to sort out the lack of goals somehow.

Bobby Madden – It’s no secret I think he’s the best we have and though he did infuriate me a few times today, I like the fact that he lets the game flow and doesn’t go out to be the centre of attention.

The support – take away the Green Brigade and the place would be like a morgue. Thankfully the Hibs support was in fine voice throughout.

[Bostonhibby]

It seemed pretty much a full house at Celtic Park today with the Hibs fans cramped into a corner where many of the seats are affected by a restricted view of the playing surface. Charging £30 for the privilege, Celtic should be ashamed of themselves. Thankfully, standing throughout the game helped lessen the inconvenience but I confess I felt for our wheelchair using disabled supporters as their view must have been horrendous.

With the Anthony Stokes saga continuing in the background, Hibs made just the one change from the eleven that started at Dundee; Oli Shaw replacing Simon Murray as the lone striker. Boyle started wide, as you might expect but Barker seemed to have a bit of a free role playing mostly centrally.

In the opening exchanges I felt we started really well and won our first corner after just 58 seconds as the two sides traded blows up to around the fifteen minute mark when our goal had a major piece of luck. A free kick around twenty yards out saw Leigh Griffiths strike a thundering shot over the wall but Rocky was equal to the task in getting a strong hand to the effort. As the ball dropped inside the six yard box the Hibs defence seemed static and it looked a certainty that Sinclair would score with the goal gaping. Somehow or another he managed to hit the post and by that time our defenders were around to clear the ball away.

Griffiths came close again shortly after that but it wasn’t all one-way traffic and Hibs might have taken the lead when Barker was through one-on-one with Craig Gordon and the Celtic keeper made a fine save. Moments later, Boyle had a chance but screwed his effort wide. At that point, Hibs were on top but with Ambrose posted missing, Kieran Tierney fired a cross into the box. The ball reached the far post where Paul Hanlon looked as though he was just trying to help it on but hadn’t realised Griffiths was behind him. The Celtic number 9 reacted quickly to steer a right foot shot back across goal with Rocky wrong footed. Darren McGregor’s last ditch attempt to clear fell just short of being successful. Griffiths didn’t celebrate and held up two hands in apology to the Hibs support which infuriated a fair number of those around me.

A few minutes after scoring, Griffiths went down holding his calf and had to be replaced. As he limped off the park a fair percentage of the travelling Hibs support applauded him which, let’s just say, did not go down to well in some quarters. In most cases the loss of your first choice striker might be considered to weaken your team but Celtic were able to bring on the much lauded Dembele in his place. I was worried when that happened but I needn’t have been as the youngster failed to make any positive impact on the game at all. The one matter of impact he did make was when his theatrical dive in the Hibs 18 yard box earned him a deserved yellow card from referee Bobby Madden.

Right on the half time whistle, a cross into the Celtic box seemed to be flying beyond the reach of Craig Gordon but as the keeper lunged to try and punch the ball he crashed into Darren McGregor and much to my disgust Madden gave Celtic a free kick. No way was it a free kick but it did signal the end of Gordon’s participation as he was replaced by Dorus De Vries for the second half.

An early chance for Scott Sinclair was squandered but from about the hour mark onwards Hibs totally dominated possession of the ball, much to the dismay of the home support who could be heard to become more and more frustrated as the game wore on. Hibs looked solid at the back and controlling in midfield but our age old problem of creating and/or taking chances was in full bloom. Barker tried his best but it was noticeable that every time he got the ball, Scott Brown was all over him like a rash.

De Vries in the Celtic goal wasn’t exactly overworked but he did do well diving low to his left to push a low drive by McGinn around his post for a corner. During the half, Boyle, Barker and Shaw were replaced with varying amounts of time left on the clock. Their replacements were Murray, Swanson and McLaren and though they tried their best the game petered out and I was once again left with the feeling that we may not have deserved to win but we certainly didn’t deserve to lose.

The players

Rocky – one again he looked solid and made a few good saves though he had no chance with the goal.

Efe – a guy close by to me said Efe was his man of the match which I found to be a bewildering statement given that Efe was caught out of position more times than I care to mention. Yes, he’s a very talented boy and he played very well in patches but no more than that in my view.

Daz – The big fella was absolutely outstanding; solid as a rock and my man of the match for his brilliant display.

Paul – had a very good game but was badly at fault for the goal. Should have played safe and just headed the ball out for a corner.

Lewis – the wee man is back to his best, defending well and getting forward as much as he can. Fired in a few good crosses and made one crucial block with his body near the end of the game.

Boyler – started brightly but I’m not sure he’s fully over his Achilles problem as there was no sign of his trade mark lung bursting runs.

Dylan – the lad is simply a great footballer but I do wish he’d be a bit more adventurous when he’s around the edge of the opposition box. Just have a shot for goodness sake!

Slivka – Vicky was possibly lucky not to be sent off as he was not booked for inexplicably catching the ball in both hands when it was still in play. That should’ve been a yellow and he was subsequently booked for a foul on Brown. Had a strong second half I felt.

SJM – Came very close to winning my man of the match award for his tireless work in trying to drive Hibs forward. He covered every blade of grass and any watching scouts would surely have been impressed.

Brandon – Had the chance to make a few telling surges forward but I wish that sometimes he’d just keep going instead of stopping at the 18 yard line. As stated earlier, Scott Brown had clearly been designated to stifle Barker and in general terms he succeeded.

Oli – The poor guy got next to no service from his midfield and even when he did get possession we were so slow in getting in to support him he was crowded out.

Simon – All the early season promise seems so far away right now. I think if he could grab a goal or two it might settle him down again.

Danny – Had a couple of mazy runs and did his best to breach the Celtic defence. I thought it a little odd that as soon as the final whistle went he shot off down the tunnel before shaking hands or applauding the Hibs support.

Jamie – I’ve still not seen enough of the lad to form any kind of opinion but given that our other strikers have dried up, maybe he should be given a chance to show his worth.

Neil – Must be very frustrated to have watched his game plan undone by one unfortunate mistake. Needs to sort out the lack of goals somehow.

Bobby Madden – It’s no secret I think he’s the best we have and though he did infuriate me a few times today, I like the fact that he lets the game flow and doesn’t go out to be the centre of attention.

The support – take away the Green Brigade and the place would be like a morgue. Thankfully the Hibs support was in fine voice throughout.Cheers JB. Sounds like an opportunity missed, if we just had a bit more up top?

Sent from my SM-J320FN using Tapatalk

[Sir David Gray]

It seemed pretty much a full house at Celtic Park today with the Hibs fans cramped into a corner where many of the seats are affected by a restricted view of the playing surface. Charging £30 for the privilege, Celtic should be ashamed of themselves. Thankfully, standing throughout the game helped lessen the inconvenience but I confess I felt for our wheelchair using disabled supporters as their view must have been horrendous.

With the Anthony Stokes saga continuing in the background, Hibs made just the one change from the eleven that started at Dundee; Oli Shaw replacing Simon Murray as the lone striker. Boyle started wide, as you might expect but Barker seemed to have a bit of a free role playing mostly centrally.

In the opening exchanges I felt we started really well and won our first corner after just 58 seconds as the two sides traded blows up to around the fifteen minute mark when our goal had a major piece of luck. A free kick around twenty yards out saw Leigh Griffiths strike a thundering shot over the wall but Rocky was equal to the task in getting a strong hand to the effort. As the ball dropped inside the six yard box the Hibs defence seemed static and it looked a certainty that Sinclair would score with the goal gaping. Somehow or another he managed to hit the post and by that time our defenders were around to clear the ball away.

Griffiths came close again shortly after that but it wasn’t all one-way traffic and Hibs might have taken the lead when Barker was through one-on-one with Craig Gordon and the Celtic keeper made a fine save. Moments later, Boyle had a chance but screwed his effort wide. At that point, Hibs were on top but with Ambrose posted missing, Kieran Tierney fired a cross into the box. The ball reached the far post where Paul Hanlon looked as though he was just trying to help it on but hadn’t realised Griffiths was behind him. The Celtic number 9 reacted quickly to steer a right foot shot back across goal with Rocky wrong footed. Darren McGregor’s last ditch attempt to clear fell just short of being successful. Griffiths didn’t celebrate and held up two hands in apology to the Hibs support which infuriated a fair number of those around me.

A few minutes after scoring, Griffiths went down holding his calf and had to be replaced. As he limped off the park a fair percentage of the travelling Hibs support applauded him which, let’s just say, did not go down to well in some quarters. In most cases the loss of your first choice striker might be considered to weaken your team but Celtic were able to bring on the much lauded Dembele in his place. I was worried when that happened but I needn’t have been as the youngster failed to make any positive impact on the game at all. The one matter of impact he did make was when his theatrical dive in the Hibs 18 yard box earned him a deserved yellow card from referee Bobby Madden.

Right on the half time whistle, a cross into the Celtic box seemed to be flying beyond the reach of Craig Gordon but as the keeper lunged to try and punch the ball he crashed into Darren McGregor and much to my disgust Madden gave Celtic a free kick. No way was it a free kick but it did signal the end of Gordon’s participation as he was replaced by Dorus De Vries for the second half.

An early chance for Scott Sinclair was squandered but from about the hour mark onwards Hibs totally dominated possession of the ball, much to the dismay of the home support who could be heard to become more and more frustrated as the game wore on. Hibs looked solid at the back and controlling in midfield but our age old problem of creating and/or taking chances was in full bloom. Barker tried his best but it was noticeable that every time he got the ball, Scott Brown was all over him like a rash.

De Vries in the Celtic goal wasn’t exactly overworked but he did do well diving low to his left to push a low drive by McGinn around his post for a corner. During the half, Boyle, Barker and Shaw were replaced with varying amounts of time left on the clock. Their replacements were Murray, Swanson and McLaren and though they tried their best the game petered out and I was once again left with the feeling that we may not have deserved to win but we certainly didn’t deserve to lose.

The players

Rocky – one again he looked solid and made a few good saves though he had no chance with the goal.

Efe – a guy close by to me said Efe was his man of the match which I found to be a bewildering statement given that Efe was caught out of position more times than I care to mention. Yes, he’s a very talented boy and he played very well in patches but no more than that in my view.

Daz – The big fella was absolutely outstanding; solid as a rock and my man of the match for his brilliant display.

Paul – had a very good game but was badly at fault for the goal. Should have played safe and just headed the ball out for a corner.

Lewis – the wee man is back to his best, defending well and getting forward as much as he can. Fired in a few good crosses and made one crucial block with his body near the end of the game.

Boyler – started brightly but I’m not sure he’s fully over his Achilles problem as there was no sign of his trade mark lung bursting runs.

Dylan – the lad is simply a great footballer but I do wish he’d be a bit more adventurous when he’s around the edge of the opposition box. Just have a shot for goodness sake!

Slivka – Vicky was possibly lucky not to be sent off as he was not booked for inexplicably catching the ball in both hands when it was still in play. That should’ve been a yellow and he was subsequently booked for a foul on Brown. Had a strong second half I felt.

SJM – Came very close to winning my man of the match award for his tireless work in trying to drive Hibs forward. He covered every blade of grass and any watching scouts would surely have been impressed.

Brandon – Had the chance to make a few telling surges forward but I wish that sometimes he’d just keep going instead of stopping at the 18 yard line. As stated earlier, Scott Brown had clearly been designated to stifle Barker and in general terms he succeeded.

Oli – The poor guy got next to no service from his midfield and even when he did get possession we were so slow in getting in to support him he was crowded out.

Simon – All the early season promise seems so far away right now. I think if he could grab a goal or two it might settle him down again.

Danny – Had a couple of mazy runs and did his best to breach the Celtic defence. I thought it a little odd that as soon as the final whistle went he shot off down the tunnel before shaking hands or applauding the Hibs support.

Jamie – I’ve still not seen enough of the lad to form any kind of opinion but given that our other strikers have dried up, maybe he should be given a chance to show his worth.

Neil – Must be very frustrated to have watched his game plan undone by one unfortunate mistake. Needs to sort out the lack of goals somehow.

Bobby Madden – It’s no secret I think he’s the best we have and though he did infuriate me a few times today, I like the fact that he lets the game flow and doesn’t go out to be the centre of attention.

The support – take away the Green Brigade and the place would be like a morgue. Thankfully the Hibs support was in fine voice throughout.

I've been once to Parkhead, saw a win (Danny Galbraith's winner) and won't be back.

The view from the wheelchair section is a disgrace and is a congregating point for police and stewards who just block the little view you actually start off with.

Sorry I'm not commenting much on the rest of your post as I know this was a side issue you brought up but I'm glad it's been highlighted.

[Pretty Boy]

It seemed pretty much a full house at Celtic Park today with the Hibs fans cramped into a corner where many of the seats are affected by a restricted view of the playing surface. Charging £30 for the privilege, Celtic should be ashamed of themselves. Thankfully, standing throughout the game helped lessen the inconvenience but I confess I felt for our wheelchair using disabled supporters as their view must have been horrendous.

With the Anthony Stokes saga continuing in the background, Hibs made just the one change from the eleven that started at Dundee; Oli Shaw replacing Simon Murray as the lone striker. Boyle started wide, as you might expect but Barker seemed to have a bit of a free role playing mostly centrally.

In the opening exchanges I felt we started really well and won our first corner after just 58 seconds as the two sides traded blows up to around the fifteen minute mark when our goal had a major piece of luck. A free kick around twenty yards out saw Leigh Griffiths strike a thundering shot over the wall but Rocky was equal to the task in getting a strong hand to the effort. As the ball dropped inside the six yard box the Hibs defence seemed static and it looked a certainty that Sinclair would score with the goal gaping. Somehow or another he managed to hit the post and by that time our defenders were around to clear the ball away.

Griffiths came close again shortly after that but it wasn’t all one-way traffic and Hibs might have taken the lead when Barker was through one-on-one with Craig Gordon and the Celtic keeper made a fine save. Moments later, Boyle had a chance but screwed his effort wide. At that point, Hibs were on top but with Ambrose posted missing, Kieran Tierney fired a cross into the box. The ball reached the far post where Paul Hanlon looked as though he was just trying to help it on but hadn’t realised Griffiths was behind him. The Celtic number 9 reacted quickly to steer a right foot shot back across goal with Rocky wrong footed. Darren McGregor’s last ditch attempt to clear fell just short of being successful. Griffiths didn’t celebrate and held up two hands in apology to the Hibs support which infuriated a fair number of those around me.

A few minutes after scoring, Griffiths went down holding his calf and had to be replaced. As he limped off the park a fair percentage of the travelling Hibs support applauded him which, let’s just say, did not go down to well in some quarters. In most cases the loss of your first choice striker might be considered to weaken your team but Celtic were able to bring on the much lauded Dembele in his place. I was worried when that happened but I needn’t have been as the youngster failed to make any positive impact on the game at all. The one matter of impact he did make was when his theatrical dive in the Hibs 18 yard box earned him a deserved yellow card from referee Bobby Madden.

Right on the half time whistle, a cross into the Celtic box seemed to be flying beyond the reach of Craig Gordon but as the keeper lunged to try and punch the ball he crashed into Darren McGregor and much to my disgust Madden gave Celtic a free kick. No way was it a free kick but it did signal the end of Gordon’s participation as he was replaced by Dorus De Vries for the second half.

An early chance for Scott Sinclair was squandered but from about the hour mark onwards Hibs totally dominated possession of the ball, much to the dismay of the home support who could be heard to become more and more frustrated as the game wore on. Hibs looked solid at the back and controlling in midfield but our age old problem of creating and/or taking chances was in full bloom. Barker tried his best but it was noticeable that every time he got the ball, Scott Brown was all over him like a rash.

De Vries in the Celtic goal wasn’t exactly overworked but he did do well diving low to his left to push a low drive by McGinn around his post for a corner. During the half, Boyle, Barker and Shaw were replaced with varying amounts of time left on the clock. Their replacements were Murray, Swanson and McLaren and though they tried their best the game petered out and I was once again left with the feeling that we may not have deserved to win but we certainly didn’t deserve to lose.

The players

Rocky – one again he looked solid and made a few good saves though he had no chance with the goal.

Efe – a guy close by to me said Efe was his man of the match which I found to be a bewildering statement given that Efe was caught out of position more times than I care to mention. Yes, he’s a very talented boy and he played very well in patches but no more than that in my view.

Daz – The big fella was absolutely outstanding; solid as a rock and my man of the match for his brilliant display.

Paul – had a very good game but was badly at fault for the goal. Should have played safe and just headed the ball out for a corner.

Lewis – the wee man is back to his best, defending well and getting forward as much as he can. Fired in a few good crosses and made one crucial block with his body near the end of the game.

Boyler – started brightly but I’m not sure he’s fully over his Achilles problem as there was no sign of his trade mark lung bursting runs.

Dylan – the lad is simply a great footballer but I do wish he’d be a bit more adventurous when he’s around the edge of the opposition box. Just have a shot for goodness sake!

Slivka – Vicky was possibly lucky not to be sent off as he was not booked for inexplicably catching the ball in both hands when it was still in play. That should’ve been a yellow and he was subsequently booked for a foul on Brown. Had a strong second half I felt.

SJM – Came very close to winning my man of the match award for his tireless work in trying to drive Hibs forward. He covered every blade of grass and any watching scouts would surely have been impressed.

Brandon – Had the chance to make a few telling surges forward but I wish that sometimes he’d just keep going instead of stopping at the 18 yard line. As stated earlier, Scott Brown had clearly been designated to stifle Barker and in general terms he succeeded.

Oli – The poor guy got next to no service from his midfield and even when he did get possession we were so slow in getting in to support him he was crowded out.

Simon – All the early season promise seems so far away right now. I think if he could grab a goal or two it might settle him down again.

Danny – Had a couple of mazy runs and did his best to breach the Celtic defence. I thought it a little odd that as soon as the final whistle went he shot off down the tunnel before shaking hands or applauding the Hibs support.

Jamie – I’ve still not seen enough of the lad to form any kind of opinion but given that our other strikers have dried up, maybe he should be given a chance to show his worth.

Neil – Must be very frustrated to have watched his game plan undone by one unfortunate mistake. Needs to sort out the lack of goals somehow.

Bobby Madden – It’s no secret I think he’s the best we have and though he did infuriate me a few times today, I like the fact that he lets the game flow and doesn’t go out to be the centre of attention.

The support – take away the Green Brigade and the place would be like a morgue. Thankfully the Hibs support was in fine voice throughout.

Pretty much how I saw it. Plenty of the ball, no lack of effort but totally lacking the ability to create and score chances.

It’s so frustrating because we are probably only a couple of players away from having a very good side.

[Cod Boy]

I thought Efe played well all about opinions I suppose.

[Tornadoes70]

I look forward to your match report as I can't always make it to some of the away games and its nice to read a report from a hibs supporter perspective.:aok:.

Sounds as if we played well again while unable to make it count unfortunately. However we've taken three points from six from two tough away games this week and most of us would have taken that at the start of it.

Mon the Cabbage!!!

[Pretty Boy]

I look forward to your match report as I can't always make it to some of the away games and its nice to read a report from a hibs supporter perspective.:aok:.

Sounds as if we played well again while unable to make it count unfortunately. However we've taken three points from six from two tough away games this week and most of us would have taken that at the start of it.

Mon the Cabbage!!!

I think next Wednesdays result will impact how we view this last week. Win and 6 points from those 3 games looks good, draw and it's probably not bad but there will be a few rumblings of discontent, lose and it's 3 from 9 with Rangers and Aberdeen up next.

Amazing how one result could alter a lot of perceptions.

[brog]

Jonny Boy, i haven't seen anything yet but going by previous history I'm sure your analysis is spot on. The big question is, as it has been through my 60 years of supporting Hibs, how do we instill belief, ie that we can go to Glasgow & win these games. We have people on these forums saying SJM is out of form but he's a true winner & we need 10 more with his conviction.

[Tornadoes70]

I think next Wednesdays result will impact how we view this last week. Win and 6 points from those 3 games looks good, draw and it's probably not bad but there will be a few rumblings of discontent, lose and it's 3 from 9 with Rangers and Aberdeen up next.

Amazing how one result could alter a lot of perceptions.

Good point.

We've bounced back well since the derby with a very good team performance at Dens and according to the reports we played well today without gain however I'm pretty certain most of us would have taken three points from six from them.

But as you probably rightly point out a loss to Motherwell at home would certainly put in jeopardy the return of some of the feel good factor of the hard work the team has put in this week since the derby.

If we put in the same level of team performance as we did against Dundee then I would feel safe to predict a home win. It would be a very good return from these three games with regaining a momentum to push us on to ensure we finish at least 4th in the league this season.

Mon the Cabbage!!!

[007]

Thanks Jonnyboy, great summary as always.

Dylan is a great player for us and I hope he signs a new contract. He does frustrate the hell out of me by never taking a shot. I could be wrong but I don't think he has had a shot since he scored in the SC semi against Aberdeen. It doesn't even seem to cross his mind that he's in a decent position to shoot. He may not have the shooting power of McGinn but I'd have thought with his ability he could curl a pass into the top bin.

I'm hoping we take a chance on MacLaren on Wednesday and give him a start, though more likely he'll get 25-30 minutes tops.

[pacoluna]

It's becoming more obvious you prefer some players over others... Stevenson ➡️ Ambrose for example.

[18Hibee75]

Pretty much spot on with how I seen that game today. Although I thought Ambrose was decent on the ball and managed to wriggle away from celtic players and find passes today. He's just not a right back, and the amount of times he was caught out today highlighted that.

IMO McGeouch is our best player... He reminds me of a Pirlo, Iniesta, xavi type player. He doesn't score a lot of goals, never will, however he controls the tempo of the game and finds very good passes. Still needs to take more shots though, as mentioned on thread already, it is like a shot never even crosses his mind, unless he's in a one on one situation in the box!

Sent from my F3211 using Tapatalk

[Jonnyboy]

Jonny Boy, i haven't seen anything yet but going by previous history I'm sure your analysis is spot on. The big question is, as it has been through my 60 years of supporting Hibs, how do we instill belief, ie that we can go to Glasgow & win these games. We have people on these forums saying SJM is out of form but he's a true winner & we need 10 more with his conviction.

Wish I knew the answer to that one, B. Last time we were so cocky taking them on at their gaff, Scott Brown was in our midfield 😀

[Jonnyboy]

It's becoming more obvious you prefer some players over others... Stevenson ➡️ Ambrose for example.

Just an opinion piece and it’s your right to disagree ✅

[GreenCastle]

Agree with most.

Efe was excellent I felt - yes he has some movements but he’s the best right back we have and not even sure Gray or SW would be ahead of him right now as builds well and gets in good attacking positions.

He does need to improve his crossing and attacking corners.

Need to see the goal again but live it looked like Rocky could have got initial cross.

Shaw - zero service - but not sure what’s he’s adding. Think he has potential but right now opposition teams find it very easy against him.

Rest of them did really well - Slivka had a sloppy 15 mins but a great run end of 1st half and much better 2nd half.

I like the look of MacLaren - good movement and think it’s only a matter of time before he scores.

We do need goals from all over and that’s why we aren’t picking up more points.

Proud of the boys and fans today.

[BoomtownHibees]

It's becoming more obvious you prefer some players over others... Stevenson ➡️ Ambrose for example.

Stevenson did play better than Efe yesterday imo.

Efe was very good on the ball but as mentioned in the OP he was caught out of position a fair few times, especially in the first half

[Baldy Foghorn]

I was disappointed with Boyle and Barker yesterday.

Oli was feeding off scraps, little in way of creativity, lots of possession, but hardly any clear cut chances.....

Lack of goals is crippling us

[JK Rolling]

It seemed pretty much a full house at Celtic Park today with the Hibs fans cramped into a corner where many of the seats are affected by a restricted view of the playing surface. Charging £30 for the privilege, Celtic should be ashamed of themselves. Thankfully, standing throughout the game helped lessen the inconvenience but I confess I felt for our wheelchair using disabled supporters as their view must have been horrendous.

With the Anthony Stokes saga continuing in the background, Hibs made just the one change from the eleven that started at Dundee; Oli Shaw replacing Simon Murray as the lone striker. Boyle started wide, as you might expect but Barker seemed to have a bit of a free role playing mostly centrally.

In the opening exchanges I felt we started really well and won our first corner after just 58 seconds as the two sides traded blows up to around the fifteen minute mark when our goal had a major piece of luck. A free kick around twenty yards out saw Leigh Griffiths strike a thundering shot over the wall but Rocky was equal to the task in getting a strong hand to the effort. As the ball dropped inside the six yard box the Hibs defence seemed static and it looked a certainty that Sinclair would score with the goal gaping. Somehow or another he managed to hit the post and by that time our defenders were around to clear the ball away.

Griffiths came close again shortly after that but it wasn’t all one-way traffic and Hibs might have taken the lead when Barker was through one-on-one with Craig Gordon and the Celtic keeper made a fine save. Moments later, Boyle had a chance but screwed his effort wide. At that point, Hibs were on top but with Ambrose posted missing, Kieran Tierney fired a cross into the box. The ball reached the far post where Paul Hanlon looked as though he was just trying to help it on but hadn’t realised Griffiths was behind him. The Celtic number 9 reacted quickly to steer a right foot shot back across goal with Rocky wrong footed. Darren McGregor’s last ditch attempt to clear fell just short of being successful. Griffiths didn’t celebrate and held up two hands in apology to the Hibs support which infuriated a fair number of those around me.

A few minutes after scoring, Griffiths went down holding his calf and had to be replaced. As he limped off the park a fair percentage of the travelling Hibs support applauded him which, let’s just say, did not go down to well in some quarters. In most cases the loss of your first choice striker might be considered to weaken your team but Celtic were able to bring on the much lauded Dembele in his place. I was worried when that happened but I needn’t have been as the youngster failed to make any positive impact on the game at all. The one matter of impact he did make was when his theatrical dive in the Hibs 18 yard box earned him a deserved yellow card from referee Bobby Madden.

Right on the half time whistle, a cross into the Celtic box seemed to be flying beyond the reach of Craig Gordon but as the keeper lunged to try and punch the ball he crashed into Darren McGregor and much to my disgust Madden gave Celtic a free kick. No way was it a free kick but it did signal the end of Gordon’s participation as he was replaced by Dorus De Vries for the second half.

An early chance for Scott Sinclair was squandered but from about the hour mark onwards Hibs totally dominated possession of the ball, much to the dismay of the home support who could be heard to become more and more frustrated as the game wore on. Hibs looked solid at the back and controlling in midfield but our age old problem of creating and/or taking chances was in full bloom. Barker tried his best but it was noticeable that every time he got the ball, Scott Brown was all over him like a rash.

De Vries in the Celtic goal wasn’t exactly overworked but he did do well diving low to his left to push a low drive by McGinn around his post for a corner. During the half, Boyle, Barker and Shaw were replaced with varying amounts of time left on the clock. Their replacements were Murray, Swanson and McLaren and though they tried their best the game petered out and I was once again left with the feeling that we may not have deserved to win but we certainly didn’t deserve to lose.

The players

Rocky – one again he looked solid and made a few good saves though he had no chance with the goal.

Efe – a guy close by to me said Efe was his man of the match which I found to be a bewildering statement given that Efe was caught out of position more times than I care to mention. Yes, he’s a very talented boy and he played very well in patches but no more than that in my view.

Daz – The big fella was absolutely outstanding; solid as a rock and my man of the match for his brilliant display.

Paul – had a very good game but was badly at fault for the goal. Should have played safe and just headed the ball out for a corner.

Lewis – the wee man is back to his best, defending well and getting forward as much as he can. Fired in a few good crosses and made one crucial block with his body near the end of the game.

Boyler – started brightly but I’m not sure he’s fully over his Achilles problem as there was no sign of his trade mark lung bursting runs.

Dylan – the lad is simply a great footballer but I do wish he’d be a bit more adventurous when he’s around the edge of the opposition box. Just have a shot for goodness sake!

Slivka – Vicky was possibly lucky not to be sent off as he was not booked for inexplicably catching the ball in both hands when it was still in play. That should’ve been a yellow and he was subsequently booked for a foul on Brown. Had a strong second half I felt.

SJM – Came very close to winning my man of the match award for his tireless work in trying to drive Hibs forward. He covered every blade of grass and any watching scouts would surely have been impressed.

Brandon – Had the chance to make a few telling surges forward but I wish that sometimes he’d just keep going instead of stopping at the 18 yard line. As stated earlier, Scott Brown had clearly been designated to stifle Barker and in general terms he succeeded.

Oli – The poor guy got next to no service from his midfield and even when he did get possession we were so slow in getting in to support him he was crowded out.

Simon – All the early season promise seems so far away right now. I think if he could grab a goal or two it might settle him down again.

Danny – Had a couple of mazy runs and did his best to breach the Celtic defence. I thought it a little odd that as soon as the final whistle went he shot off down the tunnel before shaking hands or applauding the Hibs support.

Jamie – I’ve still not seen enough of the lad to form any kind of opinion but given that our other strikers have dried up, maybe he should be given a chance to show his worth.

Neil – Must be very frustrated to have watched his game plan undone by one unfortunate mistake. Needs to sort out the lack of goals somehow.

Bobby Madden – It’s no secret I think he’s the best we have and though he did infuriate me a few times today, I like the fact that he lets the game flow and doesn’t go out to be the centre of attention.

The support – take away the Green Brigade and the place would be like a morgue. Thankfully the Hibs support was in fine voice throughout.



Not possible.


Celtic Football club - ALWAYS Offended, NEVER Ashamed.

[3pm]

I was disappointed with Boyle and Barker yesterday.

Oli was feeding off scraps, little in way of creativity, lots of possession, but hardly any clear cut chances.....

Lack of goals is crippling us

Shaw gets little to work off in any game.

About Shaw as well, I don’t get the development. Plays against Celtic and Hearts but not Dundee. The lad needs to play in the games where it’s meant to be ‘easier’ to score as well.

[Hibee Mac]

Efe was an absolute bombscare in the first half, everything was going down his side as his positioning is so poor at RB.

Second half was more assured, although he's not a right back so I can understand why he would struggle.

[B.H.F.C]

I was disappointed with Boyle and Barker yesterday.

Oli was feeding off scraps, little in way of creativity, lots of possession, but hardly any clear cut chances.....

Lack of goals is crippling us

Boyle's form has dipped off lately IMO. The flying winger from earlier in the season has disappeared. Not a fan of him playing up front, don't think he has the quality or composure to do it.

If he's in the team he needs to be back out on the wing just running at people.

[Hibee Mac]

Boyle's form has dipped off lately IMO. The flying winger from earlier in the season has disappeared. Not a fan of him playing up front, don't think he has the quality or composure to do it.

If he's in the team he needs to be back out on the wing just running at people.

I agree his good qualities have disappeared the last few games. He needs dropped and we need a new formation to fit Swanson in the team ASAP.

[GreenCastle]

Boyle and Murray are lacking confidence right now.

Swanson looks like he’s found his again but went straight down tunnel at end.

Shaw as pointed out plays against Celtic and Hearts but not Dundee ?? Why was Murray dropped ? Fresh legs ?

Big Dave - seems like Lennon just doesn’t rate him and we seriously need a new target man in.

[Billy Whizz]

Great report as always John, always good to catch up before the game for a chat with you and Alan
My thoughts are, was a typical Hibs performance of late, plenty of possession in midfield but no final ball or cutting edge.
Sometimes think our midfielder could play the ball a bit warlord
Oli made some great diagonal runs in the 1st half, but no ball was realised to him
We rode our luck earlier in the 1st half, but survived until Paul made another mistake, although not sure if Rocky was communicating with him
Thought we were pretty solid in the 2nd half, but it would have been nice to have had a young Steven Whittaker playing. The amount of ball we had wide right, Steven would have taken his man on
Best for me were Rocky, McGinn, Slivka, Daz and Slivka, and Lewis was steady
Really need 3 points on Wednesday

[Carheenlea]

I was disappointed with Boyle and Barker yesterday.

Oli was feeding off scraps, little in way of creativity, lots of possession, but hardly any clear cut chances.....

Lack of goals is crippling us

:agree:

Despite McGeouch, McGinn and Slivka performing well, Boyle and Barker were ineffective. I'm not tactically astute to determine if that was down to Celtic nullifying that threat or if they were just both poor on the day?
The disappointing thing for me was despite putting in what was a pretty decent performance we didn't really get out our seats, metaphorically speaking, on too many occasions. McGinn's shot was one in the second half, but generally just didn't get that feeling we were going to score.

[Billy Whizz]

:agree:

Despite McGeouch, McGinn and Slivka performing well, Boyle and Barker were ineffective. I'm not tactically astute to determine if that was down to Celtic nullifying that threat or if they were just both poor on the day?
The disappointing thing for me was despite putting in what was a pretty decent performance we didn't really get out our seats, metaphorically speaking, in too many occasions. McGinn's shot was one in the second half, but generally just didn't get that feeling we were going to score.

Wonder if Boyle was feeling the effects of the injury he picked up at Dundee on Wednesday

[Carheenlea]

Wonder if Boyle was feeling the effects of the injury he picked up at Du Dee

A possible factor Billy.

[Mr White]

Great report as always John, always good to catch up before the game for a chat with you and Alan
My thoughts are, was a typical Hibs performance of late, plenty of possession in midfield but no final ball or cutting edge.
Sometimes think our midfielder could play the ball a bit warlord
Oli made some great diagonal runs in the 1st half, but no ball was realised to him
We rode our luck earlier in the 1st half, but survived until Paul made another mistake, although not sure if Rocky was communicating with him
Thought we were pretty solid in the 2nd half, but it would have been nice to have had a young Steven Whittaker playing. The amount of ball we had wide right, Steven would have taken his man on
Best for me were Rocky, McGinn, Slivka, Daz and Slivka, and Lewis was steady
Really need 3 points on Wednesday

Amongst some strong competition this is easily my favourite typo on here for a while Billy.

:singing: Warlord, warlord on to victory
Ghengis, Ghengis the man to lead the way :singing:

[Jonnyboy]

Great report as always John, always good to catch up before the game for a chat with you and Alan
My thoughts are, was a typical Hibs performance of late, plenty of possession in midfield but no final ball or cutting edge.
Sometimes think our midfielder could play the ball a bit warlord
Oli made some great diagonal runs in the 1st half, but no ball was realised to him
We rode our luck earlier in the 1st half, but survived until Paul made another mistake, although not sure if Rocky was communicating with him
Thought we were pretty solid in the 2nd half, but it would have been nice to have had a young Steven Whittaker playing. The amount of ball we had wide right, Steven would have taken his man on
Best for me were Rocky, McGinn, Slivka, Daz and Slivka, and Lewis was steady
Really need 3 points on Wednesday

Thanks Billy. Do you really think Slivka was twice as good as the others? 😂

[Carheenlea]

Thanks Billy. Do you really think Slivka was twice as good as the others? 😂

Think we should give Dylan a rest and go with a midfield of Slivka, McGinn & Slivka on Wednesday night.

[flash]

Wonder how many ratings go along the lines of
Hanlon- great game except for the defending at the winning goal. Probably the reason he is still with us.

[pacoluna]

Wonder if Boyle was feeling the effects of the injury he picked up at Dundee on Wednesday

Boyles been poor since he signed his new contract. His conversation rate must be one of the worst in the league and thats not me exaggerating.

[Billy Whizz]

Thanks Billy. Do you really think Slivka was twice as good as the others? 😂

Oops

[Jonnyboy]

Oops

:greengrin

[Billy Whizz]

:greengrin

Eagle eyed as always

[Andy Bee]

I hope you're saving all these JC, throw in a couple of pics of each game, maybe a transcript of the managers after game thoughts and it'd make an excellent annual/diary. It's always good to save first hand accounts of games for the future.

[Billy Whizz]

I hope you're saving all these JC, throw in a couple of pics of each game, maybe a transcript of the managers after game thoughts and it'd make an excellent annual/diary. It's always good to save first hand accounts of games for the future.

That’s a great idea, I think he should do this😄

[marinello59]

Efe – a guy close by to me said Efe was his man of the match which I found to be a bewildering statement given that Efe was caught out of position more times than I care to mention. Yes, he’s a very talented boy and he played very well in patches but no more than that in my view.



From my restricted view seat he was ****ing brilliant. :greengrin